BSc (Hons) Criminology and Sociology with a Year in Industry Bachelor's degree at Royal Holloway, University of London

This module introduces you to the development, role, function and operation of the criminal justice system in England and Wales. You will examine the stages of the criminal justice process, and in doing so develop an understanding of the key debates around the punishment of offenders, the process of achieving justice for victims and the theoretical positions on the purpose of punishment. You will also be encouraged to think critically about the treatment of different social groups within the cri

Assessment: The module comprises of weekly lectures and seminars, where you will have the opportunity to discuss key debates and apply your knowledge of the criminal justice process to case studies.

This module provides you with a general introduction to criminology and forensic psychology. You will explore official, populist, sociological and psychological meanings of crime through study of the development of criminology as a distinctive field of research and scholarship. You will develop sociological understandings of crime and the history of punishment, before turning to forensic psychology and its contribution to understanding offending behaviours, punishment and rehabilitation.

This module introduces you to key classical and contemporary social theories, including the 'founding fathers' of continental European sociology (Durkheim, Marx, and Weber) and the originators of US sociology (including Parsons, Goffman, and Garfunkel).

This module explores contemporary social issues, including poverty, inequality, unemployment and discrimination. You will learn about the foundations of the welfare state as well as social policies in areas such as education, housing, health and family life.

This module will describe the key principles of academic integrity, focusing on university assignments. Plagiarism, collusion and commissioning will be described as activities that undermine academic integrity, and the possible consequences of engaging in such activities will be described.

Assessment: Activities, with feedback, will provide you with opportunities to reflect and develop your understanding of academic integrity principles.

This module will enable you to develop detailed and more critical understandings of core criminological theory and key issues within the discipline. Drawing on sociological, biological and psychological perspectives as a way of understanding criminal behaviour, you will consider key issues such as drug use, organised crime, white collar crime and terrorism.

Assessment: Lectures and seminars promote the application of these theoretical perspectives through case studies and empirical research.

This module provides you with an introduction to the philosophical issues in social research. You will look at ethics in social research and theory, quantitative versus qualitative methods, sampling, observation, interviewing, media analysis, and questionnaire design. You will be given the opportunity to work through the research process on a topic of independent study of your choosing.

This module provides a sociological analysis of contemporary society, exploring how modernity and its subsequent transformations have reshaped the relationship between individual persons, communities, and institutions. Drawing on key debates in sociology and social theory, you will examine changing forms of identity, belonging, authority, and culture, and apply these perspectives to today's pressing social issues.

Gender and Society will offer the following topics: Conceptualising femininity and masculinity (one lecture), feminist theory developments (one lecture), contemporary developments in the studies on masculinity (two lectures), contemporary developments studies on femininity (two lectures), gender and social exclusions (one lecture), gender, education and employment (one lecture), gender and family life (one lecture) and gender, politics and nationalism (one lecture).

This module will introduce you to key topics in madness studies. We will review different approaches to understanding and responding to madness. A key theme of the module will be the relationship between social factors and ideas of madness, and the roles of key state agencies and professional groups. We will consider how concepts of madness have changed over time and how they differ across cultures. We will also explore the relationships between social stress, social division and stigma and con

The emergence of digital technologies has transformed the ways in which collective knowledge and imagination is generated in education, entertainment, the arts, domestic and foreign affairs. Profound, and mundane, moments are now collectively shared instantly across national and international borders potentially by millions of people. Digital technologies have become a deeply embedded feature of global social life; connecting individuals within and beyond their established social networks. The p

This course will provide an understanding of the relationship between violent and criminal behaviour. It will examine the role of social, institutional and psychological factors in the definition, experience and management of violence and aggression and provide an understanding of sociological, historical and psychological perspectives on violence and aggression.

The aims of this module are: To present an overview of key areas in the sociology of youth. To cover the changing conceptions and meaning of 'youth' within western society. To detail and examine the changing social and economic position of the young To show the various ways in which wider society has sought to define the young and constructed social institutions (education, juvenile justice etc) to deal with the young as a distinctive social group in society. The importance of the young as a cul

The module aims to consider the current theoretical conceptualisations of issues such as group decision making, performance, collaborative learning and intergroup conflict. It will look at the ways in which psychological theories relating to groups can be used to better understand and address issues across a range of applied settings, including the workplace and roles criminology graduates may enter. The course will critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of this application of understa

Students will critically discuss the role, function and nature of the family in contemporary society as well as examining changing patterns of family life. The course also explores how social identities and different social positions (for example those related to class, gender, or ethnicity) impact upon the experience of family life. Families will also be discussed in relation to other areas of social life including education, the workplace and the community.

This year will be spent on a work placement. You will be supported by the Department of Law and Criminology and the Royal Holloway Careers and Employability Service to find a suitable placement. However, Royal Holloway cannot guarantee that all students who are accepted onto this degree programme will secure a placement, and the ultimate responsibility lies with yourself. This year forms an integral part of the degree programme and you will be asked to complete assessed work.

Assessment: The mark for this work will count towards your final degree classification.

The dissertation will enable students to demonstrate their skills as independent learners, give students the opportunity to research a topic in an area of Sociology or Criminology in detail to a higher level and provide an opportunity to submit a substantial piece of written work.